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What’s in a name?

Judy Davidson’s advice column in Faculty Focus this week couldn’t be more timely, arriving just as our rosters firm up at the end of add/drop. When it comes to getting students to engage in the classroom, an environment that makes each student feel essential to the learning process is a powerful asset. Judy’s piece offers a set of concrete tips on how to spend a small amount of time to build a connected team of learners who are ready to speak up, dig in, and support one another throughout the semester. The first step: getting students to know their classmates by name.

The article offers a number of quick-but-powerful suggestions for getting students to make connections with one another through introductions, class discussions, and group work.